Dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine, which includes (1) providing an edge polishing machine and a glass substrate to be polished, wherein a dust protection board is arranged above a platform bearing a glass substrate to form a first gap therebetween and an air blow tube is provided in front of a grind stone; (2) fixing the glass substrate on the edge polishing machine; (3) introducing cooling water from the dust protection board to form a water curtain at the first gap; (4) activating the air blow tube to form an air curtain region; and (5) activating the grindstone to set out a grinding operation. The dust protection board and the water curtain block particles generated in grinding and the air curtain region blows residual water that contains particles off edges of the glass substrate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of liquid crystal display, and in particular to a dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine.

2. The Related Arts

Liquid crystal display (LCD) has a variety of advantages, such as thin device body, low power consumption, and being free of radiation, and is thus widely used. Most of the LCDs that are currently available in the market are backlighting LCDs, which comprise a liquid crystal panel and a backlight module. The operation principle of the liquid crystal panel is that liquid crystal molecules are interposed between two parallel glass substrates and a plurality of vertical and horizontal fine electrical wires are arranged between the two glass substrates, whereby the liquid crystal molecules are controlled to change direction by application of electricity in order to refract light emitting from the backlight module for generating images. Since the liquid crystal panel itself does not emit light, light must be provided by the backlight module in order to normally display images. Thus, the backlight module is one of the key components of an LCD. The backlight module can be classified in two types, namely side-edge backlight module and direct backlight module, according to the position where light gets incident. The direct backlight module comprises a light source, such as a cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL) or a light-emitting diode (LED), which is arranged at the back side of the liquid crystal panel to form a planar light source that directly provides lighting to the liquid crystal panel. The side-edge backlight module comprises a backlight source of LED light bar arranged at an edge of a backplane to be located rearward of one side of the liquid crystal panel. The LED light bar emits light that enters a light guide plate (LGP) through a light incident face of the light guide plate and is projected out through a light emergence face of the light guide plate, after being reflected and diffused, to thereby transmit through an optic film assembly and form a planar light source for the liquid crystal panel.

The first factor to determine if a liquid crystal display device is good or bad is the panel, for the quality of the panel directly affects the effect of watching. In addition, the panel of a liquid crystal television takes more than 50% of the television cost and is the key factor that affects the manufacturing cost of the liquid crystal television. To quite an extent, the liquid crystal panel determines various important parameters, such as the brightness, contrast, color, and viewing angle of a liquid crystal display device.

However, in a manufacturing process of liquid crystal panels, when a glass substrate is processed for edge polishing, glass chips are generated either for a single board edge polishing machine or for a dual board edge polishing machine. This is inevitable. Further, since the patterns of the glass substrate are exposed, they are susceptible to influence by particles. Thus, the glass chips generated during edge polishing of a glass substrate may cause severe damage to the patterns of the glass substrate, easily resulting in harmful situations of defects and scratching of the glass substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine, which excellently prevents particles generated by edge polishing of a glass substrate to be polished from falling onto the glass substrate to be polished to scratching patterns of the glass substrate to be polished, thereby ensuring the quality of the glass substrate.

To achieve the object, the present invention provides a dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine, which comprises the following steps:

(1) providing an edge polishing machine and a glass substrate to be polished, wherein the edge polishing machine comprises an edge polishing machine body, a dust protection board mounted on the edge polishing machine body, a grindstone mounted on the edge polishing machine body, and an air blow tube mounted on the edge polishing machine body in front of the grindstone, the edge polishing machine body comprising a platform for bearing a glass substrate, the dust protection board being arranged above the platform, the glass substrate to be polished being positionable on the platform to form a predetermined angle with respect to the horizon, a first gap being formed between the glass substrate to be polished and a lower end of the dust protection board, the grindstone being set relative to the glass substrate to be polished;

(2) fixing the glass substrate to be polished on the platform;

(3) introducing cooling water from the dust protection board in such a way that the cooling water forms a water curtain at the first gap and flows along the glass substrate to be polished toward site of the grindstone;

(4) activating the air blow tube to form an air curtain region so as to blow off residual water of grinding operation left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished; and

(5) activating the grindstone to set out a grinding operation and thus completing the grinding process, wherein during the process, particles generated by the grinding operation are blocked by the water curtain and the dust protection board to prevent them from falling onto the glass substrate to be polished and at the same time, the air curtain region formed by the air blow tube works to blow off residual water of the grinding operation left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished.

The platform comprises a grinding zone and a non-grinding zone. The dust protection board is arranged between the grinding zone and the non-grinding zone to prevent particles generated in the grinding operation from falling onto the grinding zone.

The angle formed between the glass substrate and the horizon is 10°-60°.

The angle formed between the glass substrate and the horizon is 30°.

The gap between the glass substrate and the dust protection board is of a size of 0.5-2 mm.

The gap between the glass substrate and the dust protection board is of a size of 1 mm.

The dust protection board comprises a first, a second, and a third dust protection boards. The first, second, and third dust protection boards juxtapose each other. A second gap and a third gap are respectively formed between the first and second dust protection boards and between the second and third dust protection boards.

In step (3), the cooling water flows down along the second gap, the third gap, and an upper surface of the third dust protection board to form water curtains at lower ends of the first, second, and third dust protection boards.

The air blow tube discharge pressurized air to blow off residual water of the grinding operation that contains particles and is left at edges of the glass substrate.

The edge polishing machine body is a single board edge polishing machine body or a dual board edge polishing machine body.

The present invention also provides a dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine, which comprises the following steps:

(1) providing an edge polishing machine and a glass substrate to be polished, wherein the edge polishing machine comprises an edge polishing machine body, a dust protection board mounted on the edge polishing machine body, a grindstone mounted on the edge polishing machine body, and an air blow tube mounted on the edge polishing machine body in front of the grindstone, the edge polishing machine body comprising a platform for bearing a glass substrate, the dust protection board being arranged above the platform, the glass substrate to be polished being positionable on the platform to form a predetermined angle with respect to the horizon, a first gap being formed between the glass substrate to be polished and a lower end of the dust protection board, the grindstone being set relative to the glass substrate to be polished;

(2) fixing the glass substrate to be polished on the platform;

(3) introducing cooling water from the dust protection board in such a way that the cooling water forms a water curtain at the first gap and flows along the glass substrate to be polished toward site of the grindstone;

(4) activating the air blow tube to form an air curtain region so as to blow off residual water of grinding operation left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished; and

(5) activating the grindstone to set out a grinding operation and thus completing the grinding process, wherein during the process, particles generated by the grinding operation are blocked by the water curtain and the dust protection board to prevent them from falling onto the glass substrate to be polished and at the same time, the air curtain region formed by the air blow tube works to blow off residual water of the grinding operation left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished; and

wherein the platform comprises a grinding zone and a non-grinding zone, the dust protection board being arranged between the grinding zone and the non-grinding zone to prevent particles generated in the grinding operation from falling onto the grinding zone;

wherein the angle formed between the glass substrate and the horizon is 10°-60°;

wherein the angle formed between the glass substrate and the horizon is 30°;

wherein the gap between the glass substrate and the dust protection board is of a size of 0.5-2 mm;

wherein the gap between the glass substrate and the dust protection board is of a size of 1 mm;

wherein the dust protection board comprises a first, a second, and a third dust protection boards, the first, second, and third dust protection boards juxtaposing each other, a second gap and a third gap being respectively formed between the first and second dust protection boards and between the second and third dust protection boards;

wherein in step (3), the cooling water flows down along the second gap, the third gap, and an upper surface of the third dust protection board to form water curtains at lower ends of the first, second, and third dust protection boards;

wherein the air blow tube discharge pressurized air to blow off residual water of the grinding operation that contains particles and is left at edges of the glass substrate; and

wherein the edge polishing machine body is a single board edge polishing machine body or a dual board edge polishing machine body.

The efficacy of the present invention is that the present invention provides a glass substrate the edge polishing machine, which arranges a dust protection board between a grinding zone and a non-grinding zone of a platform and forms a water curtain to separate the grinding zone and the non-grinding zone from each other and also arranges an air blow tube arranged in front of a grindstone to blow off residual water left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished to prevent the residual water from flowing to a pattern region of the glass substrate to be polished so as to well prevent particles generated during edge grinding of a glass substrate to be polished from falling onto the glass substrate and scratching the patterns of the glass substrate to be polished and thus ensuring the quality of the ground glass substrate.

For better understanding of the features and technical contents of the present invention, reference will be made to the following detailed description of the present invention and the attached drawings. However, the drawings are provided for the purposes of reference and illustration and are not intended to impose undue limitations to the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The technical solution, as well as beneficial advantages, of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the attached drawing. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a flow chart illustrating a dust protection method for glass substrate polishing machine according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating a polishing portion of a polishing machine to which the dust protection method for glass substrate polishing machine according to the present invention is applied; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic view illustrating the arrangement of an air curtain zone for the dust protection method for glass substrate polishing machine according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To further expound the technical solution adopted in the present invention and the advantages thereof, a detailed description is given to a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the attached drawings.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the present invention provides a dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine, which comprises the following steps:

Step 101: providing an edge polishing machine and a glass substrate to be polished 6, wherein the edge polishing machine comprises an edge polishing machine body (not shown), a dust protection board 2 mounted on the edge polishing machine body, a grindstone 4 mounted on the edge polishing machine body, and an air blow tube (not shown) mounted on the edge polishing machine body in front of the grindstone 4. The edge polishing machine body comprises a platform 8 for bearing a glass substrate. The dust protection board 2 is arranged above the platform 8. The glass substrate to be polished 6 is positionable on the platform 8 to form a predetermined angle with respect to the horizon and a first gap 28 is formed between the glass substrate to be polished 6 and a lower end of the dust protection board 2. The grindstone 4 is set relative to the glass substrate to be polished 6.

The platform 8 comprises a grinding zone 10 and a non-grinding zone 20. The dust protection board 2 is arranged between the grinding zone 10 and the non-grinding zone 20. By arranging the dust protection board 2 between the grinding zone 10 and the non-grinding zone 20 of the platform 8 with only a thin first gap 28 existing between the dust protection board 2 and the glass substrate to be polished 6, the grinding zone 10 is separated from the non-grinding zone 20, whereby particles generated in a grinding operation are not allowed to fall on the glass substrate to be polished 6 within the non-grinding zone 20 so as to well prevent particles generated in the grinding operation from scratching the glass substrate to be polished 6 and thus ensure the quality of the ground glass substrate.

The first gap 28 between the glass substrate to be polished 6 and the dust protection board 2 is of a size of 0.5-2 mm, preferably 1 mm. The first gap 28 can be made as small as possible provided operation efficiency and quality of the glass substrate to be polished 6 are not affected. This reduces, to the maximum extent, the chance that particles generated during grinding fall onto the non-grinding zone 20.

The edge polishing machine body can be a conventional single board edge polishing machine body or a dual board edge polishing machine body.

Step 102: fixing the glass substrate to be polished 6 on the platform 8.

In the instant preferred embodiment, the glass substrate to be polished 6 is fixed on the platform 8 to show an angle of 10°-60°, preferably 30°, with respect to the horizon, so that cooling water that is introduced along the dust protection board 2 is driven by the gravity to automatically flow toward the site of the grindstone 4 for wetting the grindstone 4 and removing particles generated by grinding.

Step 103: introducing cooling water 9 from the dust protection board 2 in such a way that the cooling water 9 forms a water curtain at the first gap 28 and flows along the glass substrate to be polished 6 toward the site of the grindstone.

In the instant preferred embodiment, the dust protection board 2 comprises a first, a second, and a third dust protection boards 22, 24, 26. The first, second, and third dust protection boards 22, 24, 26 are juxtaposed. A second gap 29 and a third gap 30 are respectively formed between the first and second dust protection boards 22, 24 and between the second and third dust protection boards 24, 26. The first gap 28 is generally of the same size of 0.5-2 mm, preferably 1 mm, between either one of the first, second, and third dust protection boards 22, 24, 26 and the glass substrate to be polished 6 The cooling water 9 is guided to flow down along the second gap 29, the third gap 30, and an upper surface of the third dust protection board 26 to form water curtains at lower ends of the first, second, and third dust protection boards 22, 24, 26 so as to provide a three-segmented flowing arrangement, which provides an improved effect of blocking the potential passage for the particles generated during grinding to enter the non-grinding zone 20.

Step 104: activating the air blow tube to form an air curtain region 7 so as to blow off residual water of grinding operation left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished 6.

In an actual grinding operation, the glass substrate to be polished 6 may get rotated, if residual water of grinding operation is left at the edges of the glass substrate to be polished 6, the particles contained in the water might entrain the water to flow into a pattern region of the glass substrate to be polished 6 by the rotation of the glass substrate to be polished 6 to cause damage of the glass substrate to be polished 6. To handle such a situation, the air blow tube is arranged in front of the grindstone 4 to form an air curtain region 7 in front of the grindstone 4. The air blow tube blows pressurized air (clean dry air, CDA) to blow off the particle-contained residual water left at the edges of the glass substrate to be polished 6 so as to ensure that the particles will not entrain the water to flow to the pattern region of the glass substrate to be polished 6.

Step 105: activating the grindstone 4 to set out a grinding operation and thus completing the grinding process, wherein during the process, particles generated by the grinding operation are blocked by the water curtain and the dust protection board 2 to prevent them from falling onto the glass substrate to be polished 6 and at the same time, the air curtain region 7 formed by the air blow tube works to blow off residual water of the grinding operation left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished 6.

The present invention uses a dust protection board 2 and a water curtain to block particles generated during a grinding operation and uses an air blow tube to blow off particle-contained residual water left at edges of a glass substrate to be polished 6, thereby well protecting patterns of the glass substrate to be polished 6 from being scratched during the grinding process.

In summary, the present invention provides a dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine, which arranges a dust protection board between a grinding zone and a non-grinding zone of a platform and forms a water curtain to separate the grinding zone and the non-grinding zone from each other and also arranges an air blow tube in front of a grindstone to blow off residual water left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished to prevent the residual water from flowing to a pattern region of the glass substrate to be polished so as to well prevent particles generated during edge grinding of a glass substrate to be polished from falling onto the glass substrate and scratching the patterns of the glass substrate to be polished and thus ensuring the quality of the ground glass substrate.

Based on the description given above, those having ordinary skills of the art may easily contemplate various changes and modifications of the technical solution and technical ideas of the present invention and all these changes and modifications are considered within the protection scope of right for the present invention. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine, comprising the following steps: (1) providing an edge polishing machine and a glass substrate to be polished, wherein the edge polishing machine comprises an edge polishing machine body, a dust protection board mounted on the edge polishing machine body, a grindstone mounted on the edge polishing machine body, and an air blow tube mounted on the edge polishing machine body in front of the grindstone, the edge polishing machine body comprising a platform for bearing a glass substrate, the dust protection board being arranged above the platform, the glass substrate to be polished being positionable on the platform to form a predetermined angle with respect to the horizon, a first gap being formed between the glass substrate to be polished and a lower end of the dust protection board, the grindstone being set relative to the glass substrate to be polished; (2) fixing the glass substrate to be polished on the platform; (3) introducing cooling water from the dust protection board in such a way that the cooling water forms a water curtain at the first gap and flows along the glass substrate to be polished toward site of the grindstone; (4) activating the air blow tube to form an air curtain region so as to blow off residual water of grinding operation left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished; and (5) activating the grindstone to set out a grinding operation and thus completing the grinding process, wherein during the process, particles generated by the grinding operation are blocked by the water curtain and the dust protection board to prevent them from falling onto the glass substrate to be polished and at the same time, the air curtain region formed by the air blow tube works to blow off residual water of the grinding operation left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished.
 2. The dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the platform comprises a grinding zone and a non-grinding zone, the dust protection board being arranged between the grinding zone and the non-grinding zone to prevent particles generated in the grinding operation from falling onto the grinding zone.
 3. The dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angle formed between the glass substrate and the horizon is 10°-60°.
 4. The dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein the angle formed between the glass substrate and the horizon is 30°.
 5. The dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gap between the glass substrate and the dust protection board is of a size of 0.5-2 mm.
 6. The dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the gap between the glass substrate and the dust protection board is of a size of 1 mm.
 7. The dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the dust protection board comprises a first, a second, and a third dust protection boards, the first, second, and third dust protection boards juxtaposing each other, a second gap and a third gap being respectively formed between the first and second dust protection boards and between the second and third dust protection boards.
 8. The dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein in step (3), the cooling water flows down along the second gap, the third gap, and an upper surface of the third dust protection board to form water curtains at lower ends of the first, second, and third dust protection boards.
 9. The dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air blow tube discharge pressurized air to blow off residual water of the grinding operation that contains particles and is left at edges of the glass substrate.
 10. The dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the edge polishing machine body is a single board edge polishing machine body or a dual board edge polishing machine body.
 11. A dust protection method for glass substrate edge polishing machine, comprising the following steps: (1) providing an edge polishing machine and a glass substrate to be polished, wherein the edge polishing machine comprises an edge polishing machine body, a dust protection board mounted on the edge polishing machine body, a grindstone mounted on the edge polishing machine body, and an air blow tube mounted on the edge polishing machine body in front of the grindstone, the edge polishing machine body comprising a platform for bearing a glass substrate, the dust protection board being arranged above the platform, the glass substrate to be polished being positionable on the platform to form a predetermined angle with respect to the horizon, a first gap being formed between the glass substrate to be polished and a lower end of the dust protection board, the grindstone being set relative to the glass substrate to be polished; (2) fixing the glass substrate to be polished on the platform; (3) introducing cooling water from the dust protection board in such a way that the cooling water forms a water curtain at the first gap and flows along the glass substrate to be polished toward site of the grindstone; (4) activating the air blow tube to form an air curtain region so as to blow off residual water of grinding operation left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished; and (5) activating the grindstone to set out a grinding operation and thus completing the grinding process, wherein during the process, particles generated by the grinding operation are blocked by the water curtain and the dust protection board to prevent them from falling onto the glass substrate to be polished and at the same time, the air curtain region formed by the air blow tube works to blow off residual water of the grinding operation left at edges of the glass substrate to be polished; and wherein the platform comprises a grinding zone and a non-grinding zone, the dust protection board being arranged between the grinding zone and the non-grinding zone to prevent particles generated in the grinding operation from falling onto the grinding zone; wherein the angle formed between the glass substrate and the horizon is 10°-60°; wherein the angle formed between the glass substrate and the horizon is 30°; wherein the gap between the glass substrate and the dust protection board is of a size of 0.5-2 mm; wherein the gap between the glass substrate and the dust protection board is of a size of 1 mm; wherein the dust protection board comprises a first, a second, and a third dust protection boards, the first, second, and third dust protection boards juxtaposing each other, a second gap and a third gap being respectively formed between the first and second dust protection boards and between the second and third dust protection boards; wherein in step (3), the cooling water flows down along the second gap, the third gap, and an upper surface of the third dust protection board to form water curtains at lower ends of the first, second, and third dust protection boards; wherein the air blow tube discharge pressurized air to blow off residual water of the grinding operation that contains particles and is left at edges of the glass substrate; and wherein the edge polishing machine body is a single board edge polishing machine body or a dual board edge polishing machine body. 